13 Chargers Earn All-Conference Honors, Rossomando Named NE-10 Coach of the Year

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven football team, recently crowned the 2010 Northeast-10 Conference Champions, was rewarded for their successful campaign with 13 individual player selections to the All-Conference teams, announced on Wednesday, November 17 by the league office. In just his second season leading the squad, head coach Peter Rossomando was named the NE-10 Coach of the Year.

Rossomando and the Chargers concluded its season on Saturday, November 6, with an overall record of 8-2. The mark is the best for the Chargers since the team made a push all the way to the NCAA Division II National Championship game in 1997. The conference title was the second one in program history, with the first one dating back to that memorable 1979 campaign. Rossomando improved his collegiate career record to 13-7 and commented, “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the student-athletes and coaching staff, the 2010 season was a great success for Charger football.”

Four members of the potent Chargers offense were selected to the All-Conference First Team. Behind offensive linemen David Stedman and James Molloy, running back Victor Jones excelled in the backfield for New Haven. The Chargers finished second in the league in scoring and rushing offense, led by Jones who amassed 1,021 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. Junior kicker Chris Scifo joined the trio, receiving First Team and All-Rookie Team selections on behalf of the special teams unit. Scifo connected on 37-of-39 (.949) extra point attempts and 11-of-15 field goal attempts, including a 45-yarder against Southern Connecticut. He accumulated 70 points for the Chargers on the season.

Juniors Demetrius Washington-Ellison and Lance Chapman along with sophomore Zach Conklin were named to the All-Conference Second Team. Washington-Ellision led a talented wide receiver corps for the Chargers, recording 41 catches for 528 yards. He averaged 52.8 yards per game and added four touchdowns. Chapman and Conklin each started in all 10 games and were part of an offensive line that only allowed 12 sacks all season.

The Chargers will be awarded the 2010 NE-10 Championship Trophy on Wednesday night at New Havens basketball doubleheader against American International. NE-10 Commissioner Julie Ruppert will be on hand to present the trophy to the team.

On the other side of the ball, a trio of junior defenders earned All-Conference First Team accolades. Cornerback Desmond Anderson led the way in the secondary, collecting seven interceptions on the season. That mark ranked him third in the NCAA Division II and first in the Northeast-10 Conference. New Haven finished second in the league in scoring defense and rushing defense, due in large part to linebacker Charlie Hatchett and defensive lineman Scott Schultz. Hatchett led the Chargers in tackles with 83 for an 8.3 tackles per game average. In addition, he forced three fumbles, recovered two and picked off one pass on the year. Schultz made 32 tackles and 4.5 tackles-for-loss. He also recovered one fumble on the season and was named to the All-Rookie Team.

Junior defensive linemen Robert Hill and Ahmet Basci received All-Conference Second Team honors as well. Hill started in nine games for the Chargers, amassing 46 tackles, including nine for a loss of yardage. The highlight of his season came against American International College when he intercepted a pass and returned it for a 10-yard touchdown. Basci started in all 10 games for UNH, registering 29 tackles and 3.5 for a loss of yardage. He added two sacks for a total of 13 yards.

Junior running back Mike DeCaro, along with Scifo and Schultz, was named to the All-Rookie Team. Despite missing four games due to injury, DeCaro collected 436 rushing yards on 68 carries and four touchdowns. Against Pace University, he ran for a season-high 126 yards and crossed the goal line twice in the contest.